Local state lawmakers split on transportation sales tax proposal

Sunday

Jul 22, 2012 at 1:05 AM

Eric Curl

Four Democratic state lawmakers that represent the area took turns Saturday morning arguing for and against a proposed sales tax going before voters on July 31.

State Rep. Mickey Stephens and State Sen. Lester Jackson, of Savannah, voiced their opposition to the 1-percent sales tax, while Representatives Bob Bryant, of Garden City, and Craig Gordon, of Savannah, tried to convince about 30 residents of the proposal's merits during a forum at the Savannah Arts Academy.

Jackson said the "regressive tax" would place more of a burden on lower income residents who would have to pay more for groceries, while purchases of gas and building materials would be exempt.

Stephens said that he is not convinced that all of the projects would be built after past sales taxes failed to fund all of the projects that had been promised.

"We have an (education sales tax) here in Savannah we can't even control," he said. Bryant and Gordon said the tax is needed in order to fund necessary infrastructure projects, such as improvements to the DeRenne Avenue corridor.

"That's a very important project that's been discussed for years," Bryant said. "If this doesn't get passed, it will continue to be talked about for years."

But Jackson, Stephens and some residents said there are alternative ways to fund road projects, such as increasing the state's per-gallon gas tax, which has been set at 7.5 cents since 1971.

Effingham County resident Claudia Collier said an increase of the gas tax of about 5 cents may not fund all the projects included on the referendum, but it could help pay for the priorities.

Savannah resident Vicki Weeks said the increased tax could stall the economy's recovery by keeping people out of businesses."We need people to go out and spend," she said.

Some public officials in the audience ended up getting called up to the microphone to address some of the questions and concerns raised.Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson disputed a claim that had been made earlier that the city had no influence in what projects got funded. Representatives from Chatham and the nine other counties included in the tax region had established the list of projects.

Jackson said that Chatham's representatives on the regional board, County Commission Chairman Pete Liakakis and Pooler Mayor Mike Lamb, had consulted with the city council when they selected the projects. While the city did not get all of the projects they wanted, they did get many of them, she said, including the Interstate 16 ramp removal.

In addition, the city is projected to get about $52 million in local discretionary funding to pay for transportation projects of their choosing, Jackson said.

Ramond Robinson, who became Chatham Area Transit's chief development officer about two weeks ago, got a surprise invitation to the stage after an audience member asked what the tax would do for regular riders such as her.

Robinson said CAT would receive revenue for new buses, shelters and benches, in addition to new services to major employers in the area. There would also be funding for park and ride services to reduce some of the traffic congestion, Robinson said.